Massage apparatus.



E. M. BASSLER.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1909.

Patented. Dec.28, 1909.

UNIT S .rrs

' EDWIN M. BASSLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN M. BASSLER, a citizen of the United,States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to massage apparatus. c

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted foradministering an effective massage, which comprises a simple andinexpensive suction generator adapted to be rendered operative by a jetof water under pressure discharged into said generator, and which may bequickly connected, for use, to and disconnected from a water faucet, orother convenient source of supply of water under pressure, and anapplicator, as a rubber cup or the like, connected to said generator bymeans of a flexible tube, whereby after the apparatus is connected up,the

.massagin operation involves merely manipulation 0 said applicator.

To this end my improved massage apparatus comprises the various featuresand details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, in which my invention is fullyillustratedFigure 1 is a central, longitudinal, sectional view of myimproved apparatus, showing the same connected for operation toa waterfaucet, indicated in dotted lines; and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalview thereof on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, A desig-- nates, as a whole, a suctiongenerator forming part of my improved apparatus. ,Said suction generatorcomprises a hollow shell or casing 1, preferably made of suitable sheetmetal. The size of the shell or casing of said generator may be variedwithin considerable limits, for ordinary use, however, a desirable sizeis about six inches in length by one and one-half inches in diameter.

The interior of the shell or casing 1 is divided by a partitlon 2 intoupper andlower compartments 3 and 4. The top and sides of thecompartment 3 are closed and said compartment is provided with an airadmission opening 5 to which a flexible tube 6, preferably of softrubber, is adapted to be connected. For convenience in attaching saidtube 6 tothe generator in communication with the air admission opening5, a

nipple 7 is preferably formed on the shell of the generator surroundingsaid air admission opening. Any desired or approved form of applicator8, as a rubber cup, is adapted to be connected to the outer end of thetube 6. To provide for using different. forms of applicators, saidapplicators are preferably connected to short metallic tubes 9 adaptedto be inserted into the open end of the tube 6, thus providing fordetachably connecting said applicators to the ends of As shown, a screwthreaded nipple 12 1s formed around the admission end of the jet nozzle10, which is adapted for engagement by a correspondingly screw threadedcouplin 13 secured in the lower end of a flexible bul 14, preferablymade of soft rubber or the like. Formed in the opposite end of said bulb14 is a hole or opening 15 adapted to fit snugly over the end of thefaucet 11, a depending lip or flange 16 being formed around said hole oropening 15 within said bulb 14, whereby, when water under pressure isadmitted to said bulb, the pressure thereof will operate to force saidflange or li 16 into strong frictional engagement 'wlth said faucet andto secure the same firmly in position thereon. For convenience inadjusting the coupling 13 to the nipple 12, the exterior of saidcoupling is preferably knurled.

Secured in the partition 2 is an induction tube 17, the upper end ofwhich is in open communication with the compartment 3 and which is sopositioned that the jet nozzle 10 will discharge into the open upper endof said induction tube, said jet nozzle preferably extending a shortdistance into the admission end of said induction tube, and the relationbeing such that only a small opening will be formed between said jetnozzle and the sides of theinduction tube. The lower end of saidinduction tube is open and extends to within a short distance of thelower endof the shell or casing 1 and is pronow-m ed to escape from theshell or casing 1 of t e generator through" suitable holes or openin s19 in the lower end thereof.v As shown, said seal 18' is supported on asubstantiallysquare plate 20 secured in the lower end of the shell orcasing 1, the openings 19 being formed between the edges of saidplateand the sides of said shell or casing. .To provide for draining theseal 18 when the apparatus is not in use, a small drainage hole oropenin 20 21 is preferably formed in the lower en thereof. I Theoperation of my improved massage apparatus is as follows :When it isdesued to use the same, the hole or openin 15 125 in thebulb 14 isinserted over the end 0 the faucet 11, and said faucet turned to admitwater under pressure to the enerator A. A jet of water is thereuponischarged from the'jet nozzle 10 into the induction tube 17 which willoperate in an obvious manner to exhaust the air from'the chamber 3 ofthe enerator, whereby a suction .willbe prouced at the open end 'of theapplicator 8.

In administering a massage, cold cream is first preferably applied tothe part to be treated, and the applicator 8 adjusted so that its edgeswill-bear against the part to be treated, thus closing the same andpreventing the'admission of air thereto. Still 40 holding theaiiplicator 8 in contact with the part to be treated, said a plicator ismoved slowly so'as to cover any desired part of the body, thuspreventing a constant suction at any one point which might causecongestion and discoloration at that point. The suction created by thegenerator operates to manipulate the parts of the body to which theapplicator is applied, the forceof the manipulation depending upon the'water pressure in the generator which can be regulated as desired broerl 'turnin the handle of the faucet: p p y g With the describedconstruction and method of operation,it is obvious that theadministration of the massage involves merely:

.manipulation of the applicator, the gen:

erator being stationary in thebowl beneath Y the faucet, so that theadministration of a massage involves very little effort; 5

I claim:- I

In a massage 'apparatus, a suction enerator, 'comprisin a hollow shellor casmg, a partition therem which divides-"the terior thereof intoupper and lower compart ments, the upper compartment being ro vided withan air admission openin an the lower compartment with a water dischargeopening, a jet nozzle in said upper compartment, means for connectingthe admission end of said jet nozzle with a source of supply of waterunder pressure, an induction tube in the lower compartment of saidgenerator the upper end of which' is in open communication with theupper compartment of said generator, the relation being such that saidjet nozzle will discharge into the open end of said induction tube, awater seal for the discharge end of .said induction tube,fa I

flexible tube connected to the air admission opening of the apparatus,and an a plicator at the end of said tube,-substantial y as de scribed.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afllx mysignature in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 15th day ofApril, A. D. 1909.

,EDWIN M. BASSLER; Witnesses:

K. A. Cos'rnLLo, R. I. MoGrlvnrs.

